“Detachment” paints a grim picture of public education

By Scott Mendelson

TrendPK.com: Most of the ideas in Tony Kaye’s Detachment are not revolutionary, especially not to anyone who has followed the last thirty years of debate regarding the public education system in America (Jonathan Kozel’s many works of nonfiction come to mind). And while the story is told in a style that sometimes veers in art-house cliche (sepia-toned flashbacks, first-person testimonial to an unseen listener, hand-held claustrophobia, etc), the picture is in the end devastating via its almost objective presentation of the issues at hand. Sure, Kaye is saying, we know that public schools are underfunded, understaffed, and stuck with various federal mandates and (worst of all, argues Kaye) a deluge of unmotivated students whose parents only take an interest when it comes to rebutting disciplinary measures. But told through the eyes of a substitute teacher who is far more caring than he wants to be, the picture wonders why we’re so accepting a system that doesn’t seem to be all that successful for any number of American youths.

The plot is pretty simple: Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is starting an extended gig as a substitute teacher in an unnamed public high school. Through his eyes we see the frustration, bitterness, cynicism, and acceptance of his full-time colleagues (played by, among others, James Caan, Lucy Liu, Christina Hendricks, and William Peterson, Blythe Danner, Tim Blake Nelson, and Marcia Gay Harden). The primary blame is placed at the feet of seemingly disinterested parents, although programs like No Child Left Behind with its unfunded mandates and reliance on arbitrary test scores as the be all/end all judgement for struggling schools, takes their licks too. Yes Mr. Barnes does provide token inspiration to his kids, almost despite himself, but it’s merely because they take his blunt cynicism as a sign of respect. This is, at its core, a character study of someone who has long since given up being the great inspiration to young minds, as well as a brutal deconstruction of that entire concept.

Much of what happens borders on cliche, especially when the film leaves the classroom. He struggles with a student who mistakes simple empathy for paternal/romantic affection, bonds with a female member of the faculty, and deals with a dementia-stricken grandparent (Louis Zorich). But the film works because of the sheer understated power of its frank storytelling. That last subplot plays out in a stunningly powerful fashion, as Brody’s best scene involves offering a token amount of absolution to the dying old man that he really has no business providing. Even the most absurd thread, which sees the overly compassionate educator basically adopting a child prostitute he meets on the street, plays out with an absolute lack of melodrama and ends in a refreshingly realistic fashion. Adrien Brody is terrific throughout, anchoring the picture with a precise portrait of a man who doesn’t particularly want to save the world, but finds himself so weighed down by his own misery that he occasionally steps up almost by accident.

The film doesn’t break any new ground thematically, but that’s kind of the point. We are no longer shocked by the various flaws in the system we use to educate our youngsters and yet we constantly take offense at the idea that so many young people seem to have misplaced priorities and/or don’t feel that they are valued by society at large. What sticks with you are individual moments. Isiah Whitlock Jr. has a blistering scene as a bureaucrat lecturing the faculty about how low test scores are only important because they decrease property values. Brody has a wonderful bit in the second act where he explicitly lays out why his young charges should actually give a damn about their own education. And Lucy Liu has one of the best scenes of her career when she finally explodes at a young girl whose only ambition is to hang out with her boyfriend and ‘do some modeling’.

The film loses a few points due to allow Hendricks’s character to serve primarily as a romantic foil, and then allow her to make a rather inexplicable judgment call, as well as a climax that feels the need to bring finality to a story that shouldn’t have a natural ‘conclusion’. But overall, Detachment works as a powerful character study and a searing indictment of the institutional disinterest in education that allows seemingly dedicated educators to eventually become as much a problem as a solution. Whether taken as gospel or inflated allegory, Detachment is a powerful piece of art.

To read more go to Mendelson’s Memos

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HEC, Microsoft join hands to provide software for students

Higher Education Commission (HEC) in collaboration with the Microsoft Pakistan has launched National Student Software Accessibility (NSSA) Portal to provide genuine software availability to the higher education sector. The service will streamline software distribution to all faculty members and students of public sector universities in the country.

All public sector universities recognized by HEC have been provided a customizable Portal for licensed software distribution. The portal consisting of around 150 software applications will enable over one million students and about 40,000 faculty members to download genuine Microsoft software.

The event to mark the launch of the portal was held at HEC Secretariat and was attended by the Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Directors, and representatives from different universities of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Javaid R. Laghari, Chairperson HEC said that this is a great opportunity for institutions of higher learning to gain access to a broad spectrum of technology and enable the country to move towards a knowledge-based economy, ultimately benefiting the country through socioeconomic development.

“I appreciate Microsoft’s commitment for development of the education sector in Pakistan. It is always fruitful for public sector and private enterprise to combine expertise, knowledge and resources to ensure successful and sustainable education transformation. Microsoft has facilitated HEC to attain its goals by transforming education, fostering local innovation and creating jobs and opportunities through the Strategic Education Alliance,” the Chairperson said.

Mr. Kamal Ahmed, Country General Manager, Microsoft Pakistan said that Microsoft believes that Information and Communications Technology, combined with education, provides the path to individuals, communities and nations to achieve their potential.“NSSA provides support for a comprehensive joint public/private implementation plan that will sustain Pakistan’s objective of achieving education excellence. It is aligned with the key strategic aims of transforming education, fostering local innovation and use of genuine software,” he said.

The portal will further strengthen HEC’s objectives of equipping university students and faculty members with the latest technological access across Pakistan.

Last year Microsoft and HEC entered into the agreement to provide centralized IT services to the universities and degree awarding institutions across Pakistan while maintaining the highest standards in the use of ICT across higher education sector in the country.The alliance consists of Faculty Connection, Microsoft Student Partner Programme, Imagine Cup, Course Lab Integration, Student to Business Interaction (S2B), .NET clubs and MSDN Academic Alliance.

Pune Festival 2010

Pune Festival is back with a bang. Was organized this year’s arrays of cultural programs to celebrate Ganesh. Will begin the preamble to September 12, with the Marathi play Swabhavala Aushadh Nahi. September 13: – Hasyotsav Ekpatricha ‘Wa Wah Sunbai! Plays. Put Sangeet Sandhya ‘, a program based on Hindi and Marathi songs, side by side by Vice President singer journalist Mohammed Ayyaz, is also scheduled for today.

September 14: a music program, called Gitanjali ‘based bhavgeet. Played by the artists in the first three in the College of Purushottam Karandak Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Pune and the Law Faculty of Els is also part of the schedule.

September 15: – Jhim Puri Jhim play written and directed by Pawar Santosh 0.18 September: – The first issue of lavani mahotsav end Karaycha Nye ‘will be presented by Khutegaonkar Maya and Trupti, 19 September: – Anjali Patel dance Kathak and Canada-based implementation of this day , followed by Rajas Sukumar, and dance drama based on abhangs’ of the saints such as Ramdas, Saint Tukaram, Eknath, Kanhopatra, Namdeo Maharaj and Dyaneshwar St.

Thousands protest in Kosovo against headscarf ban

PRISTINA: Around 5,000 people protested in Kosovo on Friday against a government decision to ban pupils from wearing Muslim headscarves in public schools.

Around 90 percent of Kosovo”s population are Muslims but the former Serbian province, which declared independence in 2008, remains a largely secular country.

Protesters, who came to the capital from all over the country, urged the government to withdraw its decision and not to “discriminate against Muslims.”

“We will continue the protests until they will allow our daughters to go to school with headscarves,” said organiser Halil Kastrati.

Angry protesters with banners that read “Don”t use our state against us” and “Communism is over” marched to the ministry of education, which had approved the ban.

“This is not a uniform but my religious obligation. I respect my religion but I also want to go to my faculty,” said student Fitore Abazi.

Kosovo has so far been recognised by 69 countries, mainly in Western Europe, the United States and a few Muslim countries, but has not become a member of the United Nations. Serbia opposes its independence and has filed a suit to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Saudi King unveils first Saudi-made car

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Monday unveiled Saudi Arabia”s first car, which was manufactured by engineers at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh. The car is named Ghazal 1.

Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari thanked King Abdullah for his continuous support of the Kingdom”s higher education, adding that this has resulted in the manufacturing of the new car. “This is the fruit of your support,” Al-Anqari told the king, adding that students of the university”s Faculty of Engineering had been working on the project for the last two years.

“What is achieved today is a clear proof of the ability of Saudi youth to make innovations and inventions … if they are provided with adequate facilities and given opportunities,” the minister said.

He described the making of Ghazal 1 as a turning point in the Kingdom. “It also shows that we have capable people who can transform ideas into products of high economic value,” he said. “This is a national strategic product and KSU holds its patent rights and intellectual property rights,” he added.

Professor Said Darwish of KSU”s industrial engineering department said the car model was based on tests of category development (wheelbase) in collaboration with several major companies such as Motorola, Mercedes and Magna Canada.

The students were given full freedom to design. Ghazal 1 is 4.8 meters long with a width of about 1.9 meters.

“This car is designed for use on all roads and terrain, even in difficult conditions, while the car interior is designed to provide comfort for passengers,” Darwish said.

Stissing Mountain High School,Pine Plains High School

Stissing Mountain High school,Pine Plains High School:Pine Plains Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver said the gunman at Stissing Mountain High School was in his 40s. No one was injured, he said. “I have no idea why this is taking place,” Pulver said just moments before the gunman surrendered.

Stissing Mountain High school,Pine Plains High School:Pine Plains Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver said the gunman at Stissing Mountain High School was in his 40s. No one was injured, he said.

“I have no idea why this is taking place,” Pulver said just moments before the gunman surrendered. Police had been in contact with the suspect throughout the standoff, he said.

The school about 90 miles north of New York City was on lockdown with the gunman and his hostage contained to one room. Students and other faculty members were locked in other rooms.

After the man surrendered, armed officers could be seen standing guard at the front door of the school. The handcuffed man was led to an ambulance, where he was checked by paramedics.

The school has about 500 students and 100 staff members.

Margaret Hart, who lives across the street from the school, said police cars were in the neighborhood and helicopters flew overhead.

Parents were told to gather in a parking lot at a restaurant a couple of blocks from school.

source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/10/stissing-mountain-high-sc_n_352081.html